In some known techniques, when a client transmits a print instruction to a server, the server, which has received the print instruction, converts print-target contents into print data and executes a printing process by using the obtained print data.
In PTL 1, when a client device receives, from a user, a request for printing application data created by an application of a server, the client device transmits, to the application, a request for generating print data on the basis of the application data. Upon receipt of information on the client, which has issued the generation request, and the generation request, the server generates print data with reference to print control information corresponding to the client information. In this way, the server according to PTL 1 provides a service for generating print data.
As described above, such a technique, in which a server provides a printing service to a client, already exists. Cloud computing has been receiving considerable attention in recent years as another technique in which a server provides a service to a client. The main feature of cloud computing is that requests from multiple clients can be processed in parallel in such a way as to carry out data conversion and data processing in a distributed manner by using many computing resources. There are numerous vendors that provide various kinds of service by implementing web services on cloud computing environments.
In a known technique, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone directly transmits print data to a printer to carry out printing. In this method, document data needs to be converted into print data in the mobile terminal, but the mobile terminal does not have sufficient memory in some cases. A web server according to PTL 2 transmits, upon receipt of a print request from an image forming device, a print instruction to a printing service in order to generate print data. The image forming device acquires the print data from the printing service and prints the print data while informing the printing service of the print state every time the print state changes. Such a system for printing by the combination of a mobile terminal, a printer, and a server is called cloud printing.
In some techniques, information pieces on virtual printers registered in multiple printing services are obtained by searching for printers and are displayed as a list. In such a technique, virtual printers registered in the multiple printing services are displayed as different printers. However, when the same printer is registered as a virtual printer in different printing services, the printer is displayed in the list as different printers, which are the same printer in actuality. This may confuse a user when choosing a printer, consequently reducing user convenience. In some cases, pieces of information on printers obtained by searching local-area networks are displayed together in the above list. In this case, the virtual printers registered in the multiple printing services and the printers found in the local-area networks are displayed as different printers. Accordingly, printers that are the same printer in actuality are displayed as different printers in the list. This may confuse a user when choosing a printer, consequently reducing user convenience.